The River Finds
by KonekoNiciSanne
Summary: The untold story of a small settlement.
1. Intro

In a small rural area by the Isen, where the Andorn meets the Isen, was a small village that had survived the vicious attacks by men from Dundland and from orcs. Their houses were scattered over a small area because they lived in the middle of the land they wanted to cultivate or let their herds of animals roam.

One of the houses was the house called Sunrise; it was located by a small grove of apple trees. If one were to look at the house they would notice three graves at the back of the house. Simbelmune was planted on them. The house had a sun carved into the front door; this was the sun that had given the house its name. Inside the house were memories gathered from a whole life, marks in a door showed how high three children had grown, Deorgar, Ash and Dawn. A great table greatly used from the scratches on it, a wooden stove stood in the corner.

Three rooms let off from the main room, the first was obviously a girl's room a dress hanging on a nail and flowers embroidered on the bedcover, the second was a boy's room with arrows and a dagger tossed carelessly on the beds. The third room was not deserted, on the bed was a frail looking woman and she slept fretfully.


	2. Chapter 1

My muse simply would not leave me, this idea has haunted me for 3 weeks and I am finally beginning to write it down. I hope you all like it.

* * *

Three girls stood by the river delta as they washed clothes in the dusk; they were best friends and had always known one another. They were as different as a flower to a stone to a fire. Dagma was brown skinned as her forefathers had come from Harad, her black hair curled in long ringlets down her back; she had four scars down her left cheek from an orc trying to grab her and her brown eyes shone with intelligence. Liw was the light to Dagma's dark; she had light blonde hair braided in a thick braid that fell over her shoulder, fair skin and dark blue eyes that dragged people in like honey to a bee. Dawn finished the triad; she had dark red hair almost always pulled back to a bun, and light blue eyes that seemed to stare straight into the soul.

He three girls laughed and teased each other as they washed their clothes; their lives had been hard their fathers had all been killed by raiders from Dunland. Dawn's brothers had been killed by orcs, just three months later. Liw's mother had thrown herself in front of an orc blade to protect Liw's younger brother Tor. Dagma lost her mother when she was born, but her older sister had been raped and left for dead. She survived only to kill herself from the shame.

Their experiences bound them together, and they protected each other. Dagma lived alone, Liw lived with 10 year old Tor and 3 year old Asta, and Dawn lived with her mother, Dawn had studied to be a healer before her mother got sick, but now she had to take care of her mother instead.

Dawn waved to her friends before she picked up her basket and walked towards Sunrise house.

Dawn smiled as she carried their washing, her mother couldn't help with it anymore in her frail state and Dawn took care of every task in their home. She paused as she walked by the three graves, "Things would be so much simpler if you were alive, Deorgar, Ash. Mother wouldn't have taken father's death so hard if you two hadn't died."

Dawn sighed, "We are lucky that the Andorn flows into Isen or our water supply would have been none existent." she walked towards the front door, and turned when she heard a wagon coming, three boys moved a herd of cattle further away, she smiled as she recognized the driver. "Deowine? What are you doing out here?"

"Dawn," he nodded, "We are moving our heard can't survive here."

Dawn felt her heart sink there was only four families left in their settlement if Deowine left. "Then I wish you all the best Deowine, I hope you two and the boys will make the trip without incident."

"Thank you Dawn; you and your mother should come with us." Deowine's wife Beranwyn said.

"Mother would never make the trip; no I belong here with her."

"Good luck."

"You too, farewell."

She waved as they left, she turned to the lines by their house and began hanging the wet clothes up.

As Dawn sat by her mother's bedside, she couldn't help regretting the choices they had made. They could have left before things got so bad, but when her father and then her brothers had died by Dunland raiders, something broke in her mother she went to bed and just didn't get up after. Dawn buried them with their neighbours and her mother stayed in bed.

"Deowine and his family left the settlement, now we are only five families here. Aldor and his wife lives up by the Andorn, they are too far away if something should happen." Dawn sighed when her mother showed no recognition, "Please mother, I... I cannot lose you too, please eat just a little."

Tears gathered in her eyes and she brusquely washed them away, "I will go get some water so you can wash up a bit."

Frustrated Dawn gathered the buckets and yoke, and made her way to the river. She heard something and then the water was rushing like it used to do before the Isen ran dry. "The Isen?" Dawn dropped the buckets and ran towards the first house, "Dagma! Dagma!" she knocked on the door, "the water returned the Isen is flowing again."

Dagma smiled and swept her black hair back, "Thank the Valar."

"Beranhild!" Dawn smiled when she noticed the old healer.

"What is it child?"

"The Isen is flowing again."

The old woman nodded and went back to her herbs.

Liw smiled as she neared them, "What on earth is happening?"

"Oh Liw it is wonderful, the waters of the Isen is back."

"Finally some good news." Liw smiled while she grabbed Tor's shirt, and pulled him inside to get a bath.

"Perhaps the worst is over now." Dawn whispered to herself, she hurried back to her buckets so she could fill them and bring them home to her mother. She filled them and pulled the yoke up. She began the trek home; she was used to the weight and got home quickly. She warmed some of the water, and used a bit to wash herself.

She poured the water in a bowl and took it and a rag to her mother, Dawn smiled as she saw that the plate she left with her mother was empty.

"The Isen is flowing again; hopefully this will be a good sign." She wetted the rag and gave it to her mother, "Maybe we can even get some new cattle next year if our bulls bring in a good price."

Dawn took the empty plate and washed their dishes. "We could also try to plant our little plot with wheat, and make apple sauce, dried apples, apple jam and apple cider we can sell at the market."

Dawn was used to talking with herself as her mother almost never talked. She did it to fill the silence, when it became too oppressive for her.

Dawn knew that they were vulnerable, how easy would it be for a group of orcs to rape and kill them all? They had no men to defend them and they were not enough, Dawn and the other girls were trained to fight, but against overwhelming odds like a pack of orcs would result in them all being killed. It could also be a band of Dunland raiders, tears filled her eyes, "You fool Dawn crying over something you can't change."

3 days later, Dawn got on her horse and rode out to check on their herd, the calves would bring a good price this year if she could go to the market. Her family had only about 20 cows and one bull, and it used to be her brothers' job to ride out and check on them, but now the job was hers. The cattle were uneasy and she was worried, it was never a good sign if the animals were worried. She felt the wind pick up and that properly meant that a snowstorm, hopefully the last of the year, would hit them in a few hours.

She herded the cattle towards their settlement, and then just when she let her guard down her horse spooked and reared up, Dawn fell off and hit the ground hard. She gasped for breath her horse were gone and the cattle fled, a snowflake landed on her face.

She heard something and as she registered the words she froze and began to tremble, orcs. "No!" she whispered and lost consciousness.


	3. Chapter 2

Dawn floated in a dream, she couldn't wake up but she was not afraid. In the dream she saw her beloved brothers' smiles, it was the day they had arrived at the place where they would live the small settlement offered comfort and a good life when they got settled.

10 years ago

Dawn sat beside her mother on the bench, her mother had a firm grip on the reins and their horses were used to the road. Dawn was ten and she didn't know why they had moved from Gondor to this desolate place, away from all her friends and their house.

"Mother?" her mother hummed, "Why are we here?"

"We will live here this is where your father bought land and we will have a good life here."

"But what about all my friends?"

"You will get new friends my little Dawn, this will be a fresh start for us all." Her mother smiled at her and kissed her head.

They built their house and her brothers Deogar and Ash dreamt of being great warriors, Dawn was small and delicate for her age and the other kids in the village teased her. In Dawn's young mind she was furious, why did they have to end up with these horrible kids and their irritating parents? Just to torture her Deowine was a bully, he was 16 and almost a man he pulled her hair and knocked her down when they played Orcs and Rangers. Deogar was 17 and therefore too old for playing with the kids and he said so many times when Dawn complained. Ash was 14, he tried to help but it only made Deowine worse. Then one day six months after they got to the settlement, Deowine knocked her down again onto a patch of ice and Dawn began bleeding from a cut on her forehead.

Dawn had never seen her father so mad, he began training her with her brothers and that entire winter she spend learning how to use a sword, fight hand to hand and using small daggers. When the spring came and all the children played together again, Deowine tried to knock her down but she used a move Deogar had showed her and she kicked the back of Deowine's knees and he fell to the floor.

"Now you don't do that to a lady."

"You're no lady." He answered.

"Yes I am and you need to treat girls better or you will never get a wife."

"You are a Shieldmaiden." Deowine claimed.

From that day Dawn began getting friends, Liw was her best friend, her family came from Rohan where Liw's father had served in King Théoden's personal guard and her mother had been a cleaner in Meduseld the Golden Hall. The king had awarded them with a good deal of money and they had moved here. Three years after, they got three new occupants in the settlement a man with dark skin and black hair, his oldest daughter Inga and his youngest Dagma.

Dagma was as dark skinned as her father but she was shy and scared of these new children. She spent much of her time hiding and watching the other children play, Dawn smiled she had to know the new girl, she was interesting with her dark skin and different dresses.

"Hello." Dawn smiled as she sat beside Dagma, "I'm Dawn, nice to meet you."

Dagma looked at this girl her red hair was falling out of her braid and her bangs fell into her eyes so she had to sweep them back time and again. "I'm Dagma."

"Hi Dagma, do you like to play?"

"Yes."

Dawn smiled, "Then come and play, with Liw and I."

Dawn pulled Dagma over to Liw and they began playing by the end of the day they were best friends.

When Dawn turned 18 the Isen began running dry and they had to lead their animals to the Adorn instead, the girls had been trained to survive this harsh life and any attacks that might come. Dawn had become an apprentice to Beranhild, she wished to become a healer.

When the attack came they were unprepared. They were surprised in the night when they were sleeping, the men from Dunland had attacked and nothing could stop them. Dawn was pulled out of their house by Deogar and Ash their mother followed behind with a raised sword, a man attacked Ash and he yelled for them to hurry.

Another man grabbed Dawn but she had her dagger on her, her dagger slid into his neck and he looked at her with surprise written all over his face and then he slid to the ground.

"Come on Dawnie, we have to go." Deogar urged her gently.

When the attack was fended off, they found out that her father was dead along with Dagma's father and Deowine's parents were both dead.

Their little settlement mourned their loss and 3 families chose to pack up and leave, Dawn heard her mother and brothers' talking one night, they were discussing if they should move as well.

But they couldn't decide, and one more night turned into two and two turned into a dozen. Just as the settlement had begun to return to normal the orcs attacked, Dawn would never forget her brothers' screams as they were killed and ripped apart.

How Liw wept while clinging to her mother's body, how Dagma's sister had been brutally raped and left for dead. Dagma, whose beauty was much admired in the Settlement, was marked by orc claws down one cheek. Dawn had also gotten clawed but she saw her mother collapse and hurried to her, her mother was put in bed and from that day she stayed in bed. Dawn was left to bury her brothers alone, with the help of their neighbours, her mother didn't even get up to say goodbye to them.

Dawn was floating in the river Isen again...


	4. Chapter 3

Every person in Middle Earth knew who the Valar was, what most of those people didn't know was that they influenced every aspect of their daily life. Yavanna made sure that crops could grow in the fields; Aulë was there in spirit whenever someone created something, Irmo kept a watchful eye over every dream people dreamt and Ulmo kept fishermen and boats safe on the seas. Together they created a whole and all fourteen of them protected and cared for Middle Earth.

In Valinor in a great hall in Mandos' home sat Vairë, her blond hair pulled back in a braid her grey eyes keeping track of what her small hands did, weaving as she always did the history of Middle Earth. Every surface of this great hall was decorated with tapestries she had weaved, depicting every event in Middle Earth. Manwë had ordered her to place a band of Uruk Hai, by a small settlement, to see what they would do if some of them could be spared. She had been nervous and had arranged for Irmo to send them dreams of hope and peace so the humans would be safe. Why Manwë had decided on precisely this settlement was strange, after all they had no way of defending themselves after the brutal attacks they had been through already.

"My wife, what has you frowning so?" Mandos, the black haired ruler of the dead, asked as he saw his wife,

"Manwë has given me a job and I do not like it."

Mandos smiled, his dark blue eyes lighting up, and sat beside his wife, "Why don't you tell me about it? Then I would share your burden."

Vairë nodded and showed him her work, "This is a small settlement by the river Isen and Adorn, the land is plentiful but they have suffered attack after attack, by orcs and men from Dunland. I had decided to shield them from more pain when Manwë called me to his side; he wanted to know if Curunir's creatures were worth saving."

"And how were you to determine that?" Mandos was intrigued it was rare that his wife felt the need to protect anyone; she was usually a quiet observer.

"Manwë asked me to lead a group of four Uruk Hai to the settlement, if and only if these four prove to be reasonable he will spare some of them. While they were on their way to the settlement I noticed that they relaxed more, so I asked Irmo to send them dreams of peace and dare I say it mating." she looked disgusted.

Mandos wrapped his arm around her as she worked on, "My dear wife, I heard Nienna talk about how they were innocent and didn't deserve their sad fate. Estë also said that their race needed healing, what was done to make them grow quickly left them without a guide on how to behave."

Finally Vairë looked up at her husband and stopped working, "How do you know so much about this race?"

"Did you know that they are half human? He used humans as breeders," His wife shivered, "and as such they have the same capacity for kindness and compassion."

"But also for evil."

Mandos nodded, "Yes but as they are half human I think they can be good if they get a chance."

Vairë sighed, "Perhaps you are right husband, perhaps you are right." she smiled and continued her work, "Do you think Tulkas will go to Arda and keep an eye on things for me?"

"I can ask him, I know how you hate being away from your work, soften the heart of the humans and then soften the Uruk Hai."

He left his wife to his work and began seeking out Tulkas, Vairë worked on watching as the girl woke up, and hopefully the Uruk Hai would treat her well.

* * *

The first thing Dawn noticed when she woke; beside the fact that she was alive, was that she was comfortable; she had a makeshift pillow under her head and something covering her. She sighed and moved and the voices around her grew silent.

"Ow!" she yelped as she ran her hand over her head, "By the Valar that hurt. Where?" she opened her eyes and lost her breath four orcs stood around her, looking at her their yellow eyes and harsh faces caused shivers to race down her spine. "Valar protect me!" The first one she noticed had claw marks down his chest as if someone had tried to claw out his organs. He had an almost human face, and his hair was long and braided down his back. The one to his right had no scars she could see, but he looked bruised and battered as if someone had spent hours hitting him, he had short hair. One of them, the biggest one, made a move to touch her.

She crawled backwards, distractedly she realised it snowed, and trying to get away even though she knew that they could catch her without any problem. "Please," she whispered, "Don't kill me." Why oh why hadn't she taken her daggers or her father's sword? Now she had nothing to defend herself with, even if she could have defended herself she knew they were too many against her.

The biggest orc walked slowly towards her, he had a scar running down over one eye over his cheek and it ended by his throat. He had a face that was almost handsome if it wasn't for the yellow eyes, clawed hands, the flat nose and sharp teeth, he had ears they looked almost like the ears of an elf. He limped and now she could see he had a wound in his right thigh, he sat down in front of her and growled.

Dawn didn't know what to think, the other orcs stayed where they were and the big one in front of her was just looking at her. Why didn't they attack? She was helpless, she was an easy kill.

"Grishthauk" the orc grumbled and put his great fist on his chest. "I am Grishthauk."

The speech was growly and rough but she understood he introduced himself, "Dawn." She said warily, "My name is Dawn."

"Need..." he growled seemingly angry with himself, "Need healer."

Dawn looked towards his leg, "Yes,"

"No! Him," the orc growled and pointed to the smallest orc who held his arm close to his body, "Healer."

Dawn swallowed, if he had been a man, he would have been a good friend, commander or neighbour to think of another before him. But this was an orc, not a man she couldn't just walk into town with a pack of orcs. "I am not a healer," she trembled as Grishthauk growled in anger, "But we have a healer in our settlement."

"Where?"

"I cannot tell you."

That was the wrong thing to say the orc grabbed her by the neck and held her above ground. She tried to breathe but the hand tightened its hold on her, Dawn's vision turned grey and she struggled to hold on to her consciousness.

"Grishthauk," one of the orcs said, he said something else and she was released, she landed on her side gasped and coughed for breath, while she tried to make herself as small as possible.

The smallest orc crawled closer to her, and she crawled backwards again. "Please don't hurt me." She begged and the small orc whined gently.

He reached a hand out and touched her cheek, almost as if he just wanted to feel how she felt, he grinned and gave a small laugh, the laugh startled the small orc and his eyes widened in surprise.

Dawn couldn't help smiling; he was like Tor with his curiosity and innocence. As she smiled Grishthauk reached a hand down to her, she flinched but he didn't move it. Dawn realized that he wanted her to take his hand; she knew that they could have killed her when she was unconscious. They could have killed her now but they didn't, they were different somehow. She looked once again at the clawed hand and his dark skin, could she trust him not to kill her? No she couldn't but she had to make a decision. Dawn gathered all her courage and gently placed her hand in his, she was pulled up and just now she noticed that she only reached his shoulder in height.

He led her towards the fire they had made; she sat down and stretched her ice cold hands towards the fire. The small orc sat beside her and touched her shawl; he picked it up with his good arm and held it to his cheek. Dawn had been an apprentice healer and she realized she could try to help the small one. She took of her shawl, folded it and gently placed it under the small ones arm; she then tied the ends together behind his neck to a makeshift sling that stabilized his arm.

The small one relaxed and smiled, "Turkûrz."

"Your name is Turkûrz?" He nodded, "Nice to meet you Turkûrz."

They were interrupted by Grishthauk "Dawn, get healer." He growled.

"She will not come."

"Get healer now." He demanded.

"I can try but she will not come."

Grishthauk growled and began pacing, the small orc whimpered as he moved his arm. "Need healer now, we go with Dawn."

Dawn shook her head, "They will kill you."

They talked amongst themselves for a minute or two, the evil language sent shivers down her spine. As one they turned to her and Grishthauk said, "You take Turkûrz to healer." He gestured to the young orc, "We stay here."

As if the matter was settled, they began to find good spots to lie on around the fire. "Wait!" Dawn hissed, "They will hurt him as well and how do you know you can trust me?"

"You have not screamed." The one with the claw marks down his chest said, "I am Sapataz."

"You speak better than Grishthauk."

"I used to spend more time with humans."

"Oh," Dawn didn't know what else to say, "So Sapataz, Grishthauk and Turkûrz. And what is his name?" Dawn gestured to the orc that was bruised he was tending the small fire.

"He is Mokfrûm, not good Uruk Hai."

"Uruk Hai? What is that?"

"We are Uruk Hai, we were servants to Sharku the white hand." As Sapataz said this Grishthauk growled and spat on the ground, "We are not servants anymore. That is why we ask you to help."

"Saruman? He controlled you!" Dawn realized that Saruman had betrayed every human, "he blocked the Isen didn't he? He sent the Dunlendings and orcs to pillage and kill us." Tears welled in her eyes, "We sent for him, begging him for help and he sends us our enemies. We begged for him to find out why the Isen wasn't flowing anymore and he was properly the cause."

"No water!" Turkûrz whimpered.

"Is he afraid of water?"

"We escaped but many drowned, the trees came alive."

"Trees?" Dawn asked but shrugged, "no don't answer that, I need to go home. But the storm and snow will make the trip difficult."

Grishthauk grabbed her and laid down with her, he lay at her back and she felt his warmth, he kept her from getting cold even with the snow all around them. Dawn was scared and she willed herself to stay awake, but the warmth from the fire, the uruks and Grishthauk's growly snores combined to make her drowsy and soon she fell asleep.

She dreamed of the settlement, it was prospering and growing she walked along to Sunrise and she was pregnant. She placed her hand on her stomach and felt the baby kick, she was so happy everything was perfect, then she heard a growl and she was picked up. Instead of struggling she melted into the strong arms, "How is our whelp today?" he growled.

She laughed, "Our child fine." She smiled.

"Good we are going to hunt now; I will see you in two days." He kissed her gently but she couldn't make out his face.

Dawn smiled, "I will be here when you get home now our child is making me want to pee so put me down now."

He let her go gently and hugged her close...

The scenery changed she was holding on to the birthing poles, the two poles was hammered into the ground by her husband and on the end of them both was a soft piece of leather her wrists went into and she could hold on to. She was in the small shed, build for this purpose and the humidity made her sweat and tremble. As she squatted there waiting, she gasped as pain rolled through her. "Please, I can't not without him." She begged Beranhild.

"You have to child, they are hunting and your child wants to come now. Push Dawn, Push!"

Dawn felt another great pain and gasped for breath, her eyes watered as she pushed with all her might. "I can't…" she felt so weak, "I'm not strong enough."

"Of course you are, sweet child." Beranhild smiled, "just a bit more and then you will hold your child." Beranhild walked away and opened the door, "I will be but a second, child."

She closed the door behind her but the door was old and if you didn't pull it strongly it would open again, so the door opened a bit and Dawn heard a conversation outside.

"I don't know how much longer she can last; she has been in labour from sunset to sunset. She is exhausted." Beranhild said

"She must make it, how can we help?" Liw asked gently.

"You can't her body must get the child out, already I fear the worst."

"What?" Dagma asked.

"That the child is dead." The two girls gasped, "Sometimes it happens with a long and difficult birth."

"Poor Dawnie." Dagma cried and began to sob.

"I have to get back in there, she has rested enough."

Dawn was frightened, what if her child was dead? Would she be able to bury her child before she even heard her baby cry?

Beranhild walked into the room again and sighed, "Dawn, you have to push the hardest you have ever done now." Beranhild smiled as she readied herself, "Now push!" Dawn screamed in frustration as she pushed, her back bowed and she felt something different, "That's the head child, just one push and it will be over, one more Dawn."

Dawn collected her last strength and pushed with all her might, then the pressure was gone and Beranhild took the baby away, "My child, how is my child? Why doesn't he cry?" Dawn felt tears spill down her cheek, she didn't feel anything.

"Dawn?" she looked up at the healer, "You have a son a fine healthy son."

Dawn cried as she was helped up by Dagma and Liw, she held her arms out and her child was placed in her arms, she smiled and looked down…


	5. Chapter 4

In the morning she woke, after a nice sleep that made her feel hopeful of the future, to find the Uruk's eating some rabbits, it didn't snow anymore but the snow still covered the ground. She felt like vomiting when she realized that they ate their rabbits raw, Sapataz noticed she was awake and grabbed a stick by the fire, a roasted rabbit hung from the stick and she gratefully accepted it. She ate a bit but she knew she needed to get home, she thanked them and stood. She would have died in the cold if they hadn't helped her.

Grishthauk pushed Turkûrz over to her and said, "Healer."

"I will tell you again they will kill him if I just show up with him, let me go and tell them you are here and that you need a healer." Dawn didn't even know why she wanted to help them, but they needed her help badly and they hadn't even attacked her. She knew Grishthauk didn't want to hurt her, but he had been angry, when he nearly choked her and she guessed that Uruk-hai were much like orcs, when they needed to get rid of frustration they fought.

"If you go, you bring warriors," Grishthauk growled.

"No! I promise I will not, besides our herd is over there if you kill them we will not survive the coming winter." Dawn gestured to the cattle not far from them.

"You not come back we kill cows." He nodded to himself, "you come back tonight or we kill cows."

Dawn sighed, he seemed to be the leader and used to get his way, "I cannot make it back here tonight; you have to give me until tomorrow at noon. Or I can just stay here."

"Noon?" Grishthauk looked confused and Sapataz explained something in their language, "Tomorrow noon."

"I will go now then." Dawn brushed her dress down and started walking towards the settlement, the trip was hard some places the snow piled up and other places water in small puddles had frozen into slippery places, as Dawn fell for the 11th time she saw and heard Liw and Dagma outside.

"DAWN! DAWN WHERE ARE YOU?" they both called.

"Dagma, Liw I'm here." She hurried as much as she could towards them, and both girls hugged her, "I'm fine."

"Thunder ran through town and we knew something was wrong," Liw said

"Don't worry we have taken care of your mother, we made sure she had her meals before we began to search for you. What took you so long?" Dagma asked.

"We have to get Beranhild and Aldor for a town meeting. I have news."

Liw led the way towards her home as her smaller siblings were there, Dagma hurried to get Beranhild. Then she rode out to get Aldor, they waited and then they heard two horses. Aldor strode inside he was an old man he and his wife had been here the longest and they lived further up the Andorn. "What has happened?" Aldor asked.

"If you sit down you weathered scarecrow," Beranhild grabbed his shirt and pulled him down in a seat, "Dawn could tell us what was wrong." Beranhild and Aldor had been sweethearts in their younger years, but Beranhild's father wouldn't allow them to be wed.

"I have not forgotten you, you old bat."

The three girls couldn't help but giggle, they were always like that towards each other.

Liw placed newly baked bread and some cheese in front of them so they could eat a bit. Dawn got a slice of bread and some cheese and she began to eat.

"I was out with the herd and the animals were spooked, I began to lead them back to town when Thunder reared and ran off. I landed on the ground and heard orc voices nearby." Dagma frowned and Liw looked worriedly towards her brother and sister, "I must have passed out for I woke with a makeshift pillow and something covering me."

"Was the orcs gone, child?" Beranhild asked.

"No that is the strange thing about this; the orcs had made me a pillow and had covered me up so the cold wouldn't get to me. All four of them stared at me when I woke and I was, of course, scared."

She told the others about the orcs and how they could have hurt her, but didn't how they needed a healer and seemed lost. They had no armor, no shoes, no weapons or packs.

"I do not trust them." Dagma hissed.

"I don't ask you to just..." Dawn sighed, "I don't know, they seem so different. Besides we cannot stand against them if they do have weapons somewhere, and I refuse to slaughter them when they have no weapons, that would make us no better than the orcs."

"Do you think they would show us the same mercy if our roles were reversed?" Aldor asked

"No," Dawn sighed and shook her head, "They would not show us mercy but if you want to slaughter them then it will be without me. I will not participate in a senseless killing of beings that have not a single weapon on them."

"I don't know. I have to think about Tor and Asta. Their lives would be in danger." Liw said.

Dawn nodded, "Maybe we could just let them stay out there and then bring Beranhild to them."

"Child, I am not as young as I used to be, I cannot go out there." Beranhild shook her head, "My bones hurt and no horse will bring me close to them."

"You cannot trust them in our settlement; they will kill us in our sleep," Aldor argued.

Their discussion lasted the rest of the day and most of the night and by dawn the next day they finally agreed on a solution. Dawn would ride out to the Uruk hai and bring the young one back when he was with the healer she would ride back with Dagma and Aldor, and if they believed their story the Uruk could come to their town. But all the adults in the settlement should wear a dagger or sword at all times, they couldn't afford to be careless, especially around orcs.

* * *

Vairë was happy the Uruks were not cruel towards the girl and she had been influenced enough that she wanted to help them. Mandos walked in accompanied by Tulkas who seemed reluctant to be in the halls.

"Hello my wife, are things going well?" Mandos asked as he walked towards her.

"The Uruk-hai have not attacked her or killed her, but I am worried. The settlement has decided to take them in at least for the night if they can prove that they pose no threat."

"That doesn't seem so bad," Mandos mumbled as he kissed his wife's forehead.

"What do you need me for?" Tulkas asked.

"I need you to just go to middle earth and keep an eye on this settlement."

"Why?"

"Because I promised to protect them and shield them from further harm before Manwë ordered me to lead a group of Uruks to them."

"Why would he allow that?" Tulkas seemed troubled.

"Because he wanted to see if their race should be spared."

"Should it be?" Tulkas asked, "They are born and breed killers."

"Yes I know, that is why I am worried." Vairë nodded.

Mandos sighed, "If they are born and breed killers why do they keep the little one with them. He has a broken arm and is, therefore, useless to them. He is also smaller than the rest of them."

Vairë looked at her tapestry and saw that her husband was right, why did she always miss the small details with her eyes and not with her hands? "You are right husband, they wouldn't keep him they would have left him or slaughtered him."

"Even if they are good I will keep an eye on the settlement, dear Vairë." Tulkas bowed and left the halls.

* * *

Dawn yawned as she got on Thunder she checked the dagger at her side, she had only slept a few hours, "Come on Thunder, I will not let anyone harm you." She gently kicked his sides; he neighed and began to run.

She sighed as she saw the four Uruk sitting by the fire; Dawn had let Thunder go before she reached them he could find his way home.

"Grishthauk, I have permission to bring Turkûrz to our healer." She smiled.

"Take him now?"

"Yes, come with me Turkûrz," Dawn held out her hand, "let's get that arm looked after."

Getting Turkûrz back to town was easier than she had thought in the melting snow but that was fine by her. Beranhild hummed and gently examined the young Uruk. Dawn calmed the small Uruk down before she grabbed some supplies to treat Grishthauk's leg.

She smiled and ran a hand through Turkûrz' hair, "Be good for Beranhild, she will help your arm."

The small Uruk nodded and turned his serious eyes to the healer.

Dagma waited for her as she came out of the healer's hut, "I'm ready to go." Aldor just nodded grimly.

"Good then let's go." Dawn led the way and the two others followed nervously.

They walked in silence and when they came to the Uruks camp, Dagma gasped as Mokfrûm was thrown towards them and Sapataz roared a challenge. Mokfrûm got up and growled, but instead of attacking, he slowly went to the fire and sat down.

Dawn cleared her throat and they all turned to her, Dagma stared at her as if she was crazy, especially as the biggest one limped towards them. Aldor raised his sword but the large Uruk just stopped.

"Where Turkûrz?" Grishthauk growled.

"With our healer, she will take care of his arm." He nodded and began to turn away, "Stop!" he turned to Dawn, "pull your pants down, so I can help you with that wound."

Aldor looked at Dawn with disgust, but he supposed she had seen all there was to see with her healer training. Perhaps the orc was not the worst she had seen.

Grishthauk growled and turned away, "You should not order him around." Sapataz said.

"By the Valar why must he be stubborn too?" Dawn muttered to herself, she hurried over to the wounded Uruk, with a quick movement she tripped him and sat on his chest. The Uruk growled at the human and pushed her of off him, she grabbed his wound before he could push her too far and he howled in pain.

"She really shouldn't do that." Sapataz murmured

Dagma laughed, "That is Dawnie for you, she never knows when to quit when she feels it is important. She had two older brothers and she would do exactly the same when they were hurt. She knows how to take care of herself; she will be fine I think."

"I am Sapataz."

"I'm Dagma."

"My name is Aldor, may we share your fire?" Sapataz nodded and they sat down.

"What do you want if I may ask?" Aldor asked, "Usually orcs just attack, kill and rape, so why did you help Dawn?"

"We are not orcs we are Uruk-Hai, we want to survive…" Sapataz sighed, "We want peace, our race is dying out we do not want to be servants anymore."

"Servants?" Dagma looked at the strong Uruk, how could anyone call him a servant?

"We were servants to Sharku the white hand; he made us and commanded us. He said rape, kill, burn, make them fear you and make them suffer."

"The white hand? Is that Saruman?" Aldor asked with a deep frown on his weathered face.

"Yes, he used his voice and power and controlled our every hour; he prevented females so we would not breed outside his influence. But we do not feel him anymore."

"How do you know our language so well?" Dagma asked curiously.

"Grishthauk is pizbûr commands part of the army, I was pizgal lower rank. His right hand, he spends time with the army and snaga. I spend time with Dunland warriors. I learned to speak like them."

"So Dunland sent people to help you destroy us all."

* * *

Dawn had a really pissed Uruk-hai after her as she ran away from the camp, "Just listen to me so I can fix your leg! You are limping even worse today than you were yesterday!" the Uruk growled and continued after her, "By the Valar, you are so stubborn..."

Her sentence was cut off by an arm wrapping around her and pulling her to the ground, she gasped for breath. She looked into the glaring yellow eyes above her and shivered in fear, "Do you..."

"Shut up!" he growled and she froze, he had her hands in an iron grip, "Talking talking, all female white skin do."

"No, we do not."

"Still talking."

"Get off!"

"Talk."

Dawn sighed and she felt something wet on her dress, her eyes traveled down to the spot and she saw the wound on his thigh, it bled a lot and she knew that was dangerous. She noticed something else he was aroused and instinctively she pulled up her leg. His eyes widened and he rolled away as her knee met his manhood, he whined and curled up.

Dawn gasped, "Sorry, I'm sorry it was just a reflex." He growled, "Yes it is my fault, but you need to know I do not want to see that. Now off with your pants, so I can see your wound."

Slowly he took off his pants and checked to see if anything was wrong, Dawn sighed, of course, he wouldn't have anything to cover his privates. She picked up his pants and placed them over his manhood and looked at his thigh.

The wound was long it went from the top of his thigh and ended on his calf, luckily the wound was shallow and that was what had saved his life. Gently she opened her satchel and pulled out a jar of poultice to fight the infection and a roll of clean bindings. She opened the jar and used her fingers to take out a good handful of the substance. She looked at Grishthauk and placed her hands gently on his thigh; he roared and tried to get away.

She let him crawl back a bit before she slapped his other leg, "Stop that!" she began to spread the poultice, he had a tough almost leathery skin that had also helped in saving his life, "I know it burns but it is good for you. It will stop an infection until we can get it cleaned up, but we will do that in the healer's hut." As she spoke she finished her work and smiled, after that she gently wrapped the wound up.

"There now just try to be careful with your leg and it will be fine." Dawn packed her things, brushed her dress down and began walking towards the camp. Dawn smiled as she saw Dagma more relaxed than before, Mokfrûm said something in their rough speech and Grishthauk punched him. Apparently, that was how they dealt with one another.

"Dagma, Aldor what is the verdict?"

Dagma looked up at Dawn, "They can come, and your hair is loose."

Dawn felt her hair and some of it were loose from her little fight with Grishthauk, she began to fix it and Grishthauk grabbed her tie. "Give me that!"

"No." He stared at the tie and she grabbed it out of his hands.

"Stop growling, it is mine," Dawn finished with her hair and smiled; "Now you are welcome to come to our settlement, but if we see anyone of you with a weapon you will be killed. Do you understand?"

"Any aggressive move towards one of us and we will cut you down," Aldor added.

All three Uruks nodded, they kicked dirt on the fire and began walking towards the settlement spooking the cattle a bit when they walked through the herd.


	6. Chapter 5

**Another chapter I don't know what is wrong with my muse today she seems to want to inspire me to write** moere **and more so I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.**

* * *

If Grishthauk had to explain when everything went wrong, he would say it was when trees, fucking trees came alive.

Grishthauk was an Uruk hai who knew where his place was, what his purpose in the world was, he was a killer, born and bred for that purpose alone. He was one of the oldest Uruk, he had a good head and his troops knew that they had to follow him or they would be destroyed.

He had been one of the first to come from the ground, bred from a human and a mountain orc, his mixed heritage was clear when one looked at him and saw him move, he could move soundlessly and appreciated nature a lot. He reveled in the bloodshed of the battlefield and loved to eat humans. He had killed within moments of his awakening; the orc he had killed had not been prepared for the Uruk's rage and bloodthirst. Sharku himself had remarked, that it was a shame that the female that whelped him didn't survive, for he was a prime example of an Uruk. He had shown his worth again and again in Isengard, the others attacked him for his place in the ranks and he fought viciously, sometimes only with his claws, and won.

As the Uruk marched to battle in Helms Deep, Grishthauk was in charge of training the young ones. Grishthauk had cursed his misfortune when he learned that the others went to battle without him, but he would train the young ones to be fierce and ruthless warriors, that would show that he was still one of the best.

He had been in Isengard putting some of the younger Uruk-hai through their paces, fresh-faced just released from the ground. When a snaga came running speaking of water and living trees, the young Uruk hai took off and Grishthauk knew he had to get out. On the way he ran into Sapataz, Draumokûrz, and Mokfrûm they had pulled an Uruk from the ground. The little one was weak and disoriented but they dragged him with them, the panic in the tunnels was almost reaching a breaking point when a door leading to the outside burst open. The water pushed them out and the trees attacked them and the little one hurt his arm when one of the trees tried to grab them, the snaga ran for the hills and Grishthauk knew they also had to run he decided to go west.

To the west he knew there was next to no humans, the settlements were small and insignificant, they could hide there.

At night he dreamt of a female gently stroking his brow, telling him about their welps, humming songs as she worked. How she would be there in the cold winter evenings, soft and sweet, cooking dinner and share her bed willingly with him.

They followed the river, Grishthauk gave the little one the name Turkûrz, and he knew they would all be destroyed if the humans found them. They met no humans and Grishthauk was thankful that their luck held, as he was a member of a dying race. They had no females, no whelps except Turkûrz and no place to live; they needed females and strong whelps if they wanted to safe their race.

For days they continued their trek, sometimes Grishthauk felt like they were being led towards the west almost as if someone had put them in a gorge with no other way out. He didn't know where they were being led but it seemed right, perfect even. One day they had all felt a sense of something being ripped out from their heads, Grishthauk felt like his head was cleaved open by a dull sword and he fell to the ground. When he woke up he felt free, his thoughts were clear and he felt clean somehow. When he saw the others they expressed the same experience, but none of them had blacked out.

They rested a bit, Mokfrûm built a fire, Draumokûrz would see if he could find some animal to eat, Sapataz would gather wood with Turkûrz and Grishthauk planned to keep watch; he was surprised by a white skin from Dunland.

He attacked the Uruk his sword arched through the air and Grishthauk leaped away, he growled and attacked his claws ripped into the man. When the man stopped struggling, he noticed the wound in his leg from the broken sword. The others came upon him as he held a hand over the wound, Mokfrûm wanted to eat the man as they hadn't had fresh meat in days, but Grishthauk forbid it as he knew they had to change if they were to survive, they heard a howl from their camp, they all rushed back to the fire. By the fire, they found two dying men and Draumokûrz. Draumokûrz was dead he had defended them against the other two attackers, they gathered around their fallen comrade and Grishthauk howled his pain and anger to the sky followed by Sapataz and Mokfrûm, the little one didn't seem to know why they howled but he joined in and together they grieved.

They continued on the next day, and two days later they ran into some cows, the urging in his head that kept him going west had gone silent, Grishthauk growled they might as well put up a camp here.

He moved away from their new camp, he got to a grove of trees, he could smell humans, humans, apples, and soap. They were close but not too close to the humans. Silently Grishthauk walked back towards their camp he needed to talk with Sapataz perhaps he had something to say.

They needed females, but there were no female Uruk perhaps they could get a female white skin or two to get whelps, some soft girl to spend the cold evenings together that would lay willingly with him and give him male whelps. Sapataz sat beside him and they discussed what their next move should be, they couldn't just go into a white skin village without risking their life, Turkurz needed a healer or his arm would never work properly.

When a horse neighed nearby and a small human yelp was heard from the cows, the Uruks looked up and investigated the source. There on the ground were a female she had hit her head and Grishthauk knew how fragile white skins were. They covered her and placed a bundled up shirt under her head.

She was different, hair like fire, fire and blood, red and golden, soft ivory skin and pink lips. Perhaps she would give him a whelp and perhaps she would warm him in winter. Or perhaps he was just fooling himself.

She agreed to get a healer for them, Sapataz had argued that she was worth more alive and that they perhaps could trust her for she had not screamed for help or threatened them. She walked away the next day and came back to get Turkûrz when she came back without the little one Grishthauk was worried but she said the healer was taking care of his arm.

The female was infuriating and Grishthauk couldn't make himself understood, she had the nerve to refuse him and then she tackled him.

Gristhauk growled as he chased the female, she wanted a fight she would get it, she yelled at him and as he caught up with her he pulled her to the ground. She was winded and Grishthauk glared at her she shivered and tried to talk.

"Shut up!" Grishthauk had to make her silent she talked too much, "Talking talkin', all female white skin do."

She protested but he finally made her shut up, how did white skin males deal with that every day? Her eyes traveled down his body and he felt a shimmer of arousal, her eyes widened and suddenly he felt a pain like no other. She had pulled her knee up and it connected he rolled of off her and curled up.

She apologized and said she didn't need to see that, he breathed in again, he knew she meant well, but it felt as if she had ruined him forever. Slowly he took off his pants and checked to see if anything was wrong, nothing seemed wrong and she covered him up. And gently she began to examine his wound, she smeared something on his leg, it burned and he moved from the pain. Again he was scolded and she slapped his leg.

She began to wrap it up and Grishthauk noticed how gentle she was being now whereas before she had been rough. Maybe if he had just done as she had asked, he would not have ended with sore equipment. Perhaps that was how white skin males dealt with their females? Just let them do what they wanted and get out of their way when the females wanted something.

He pulled up his pants and hurried after the female, as they walked by Mokfrûm he said " _So did you fuck her yet?_ " and Grishthauk punched him.

" _We do not do anything the white skins do not want to, we are at their mercy they are not forgiving and we do not deserve their forgiveness_."

" _Why should we trust them then?_ "

" _Have you looked around? We have nothing, no clothes, no females, no home and no whelps. We even lost_ _Draumokûrz._ _How would we survive?_ "

Mokfrûm nodded and got silent. Dawn was fixing her hair again and Grishthauk stole her tie, it smelled like her and he noticed the small embroidered flowers. She pulled it out of his hands and tied her hair up again; he growled she looked better with it down.

She got her way in the end and his leg was feeling much better, she was something else, her friend was scared she smelled of fear and so did the old man. But Dawn was not scared anymore she was relaxed, except when she had seen his arousal and killed it with a swift knee.

Now here Grishthauk was, on his way to a small settlement, with two white skin females Dawn and Dagma? And the old man. He couldn't stop looking at Dawn, her red hair, her soft skin and her light blue eyes. She smiled as the other girl said something, her eyes lit up and her smile was... he didn't know, but she was a strong female. She would give her mate strong whelps; there was no way she wasn't mated to a strong man. They walked into the settlement; Grishthauk heard something he had never heard before a small child giggling.

* * *

Dawn smiled as Asta walked on unsteady legs in the remaining snow towards them, she picked the little girl up, "Hello little Asta have you been good for Liw?"

"Ahhh" Asta nodded her blonde curls bobbing.

"Good girl, now go over to Liw and Tor." She put the little girl down and she toddled towards her sister and brother. Dawn turned to the stunned Uruk hai, "This way Turkûrz is in the house of our healer." She let them into the home where they heard a yelp.

Grishthauk growled and moved into the room, Turkûrz sat with his arm in a splint and a sling around his arm. With the other arm he held onto Dawn's shawl and the healer tried to get it. Dawn smiled, but Grishthauk walked over and grabbed Turkûrz by the neck, and said something in their language. The child let go of the shawl and tears gathered in his eyes, Dawn hurried over to the boy and took his good hand.

"It's fine, Beranhild just wanted to clean my shawl for me." She stood and got her shawl from the healer who shook her head, "See I got it back."

"Soft." He mumbled.

"Yes it is very soft," Dawn marched Grishthauk over to a chair, washed Grishthauk's leg and wrapped it up again after she used some kingsfoil water and a potato poultice to starve off an infection, "now come with me." She led them to a house and opened the door, "This can be your house, its empty, there is wood out back and the fireplace works." She smiled at the Uruk-hai, "If you need food we have some you can have."

Grishthauk growled, and nodded, "You have to get out of our settlement by tomorrow." Aldor said and left them. Dawn ran out and returned with some cooked meat and some bread.

"Don't worry about Aldor, Goodnight Turkûrz." Dawn brushed her hand down the boy's arm with her shawl and left it on his shoulder; she couldn't hold back a smile as he almost purred, "Goodnight." She whispered as she looked up at Grishthauk.

Dawn left the house and moved towards Sunrise, she went inside and checked on her mother but of course, there was no change. She sighed and felt a headache beginning, silently she warmed some water and with some willow bark steeped in the water, she had some relief. She sat quietly in her room and drank the tea, wondering what would happen the next day.

The next morning Dawn woke she fixed breakfast for herself and her mother she sat and ate by her bedside, her mother didn't touch the food and Dawn left the room discouraged.

She made a stew that could simmer over the fire for a few hours, and then she gathered the laundry on the lines behind the house. As she was about to walk to the settlement she paused and turned to the graves, "Deorgar, Ash I know you two would have called us crazy to try and make friends with orcs but I cannot slaughter unarmed people. Yes, yes curse my soft heart, I know Ash. Dad? I hope you watch over us and find our decisions right, Please help me by making mother better she is still so distraught."

Dawn sighed and walked towards Beranhild's house she found a strange sight, Beranhild had gathered Sapataz and Mokfrûm and they helped her fix her roof. Turkûrz sat with Liw who was knitting a blanket, the small Uruk kept touching the yarn and the blanket Liw was working on. Grishthauk was sitting with his back against the house they had slept in and he observed the others.

"Beranhild? Do you need water?" she asked the healer.

"Yes, I could do with some water." Beranhild thought for a moment, "Two buckets should be enough, thank you, dear child."

"Good morning Grishthauk." Dawn walked up to him, he growled but didn't say anything, "Would you help me? I mean if you want to, I need to go get water from the river and it would be easier if you would help me. Then I would not have to go two times."

He stood, growled something to Sapataz and looked at her; she led him to a shed where they grabbed some buckets. In companionable silence, they walked down to the river and he was about to get some water when she stopped him. "Not here, the water is not good the Adorn is cleaner."

She led him a little further away and they collected their water, both of them carrying two buckets. "Where are mates?"

"Mates?" Dawn looked at the orc curiously.

"Yes, mates for whelps." He rumbled.

"Oh you mean men," he nodded, "Um we don't have any mates."

"Gone fighting?"

"No I have no husband, my brothers and father went to fight."

"What is husband?"

"A husband is the person a woman gets children with." She smiled, "My mother's husband was my father."

He looked even more confused, "What is father and mother?"

"Well, the mother is the one who carried me and takes care of me, and the father is the one who protects and guides me."

He shook his head, "Strange."

Dawn realized that he did not understand her, "To make a child, you need a male and a female." She looked at him and he looked intently at her, "The child calls the female mother and the male father. That is what they are father and mother."

Grishthauk nodded, but he still seemed a bit confused.

"Where are your father and mother?" she asked.

"Don't know." He growled, "Don't know father, don't know mother. Uruk grown, not child."

Dawn frowned, what was that supposed to mean? "Grown? You must have been a child." Dawn let go of her buckets and looked at him.

"Woke up, Sharkû inspect, grown Uruk."

"But how old are you?"

He growled and glared at her, "Seen 15 summers."

Dawn sat down shocked, "Summers? Just fifteen?"

"Akh." He nodded.

"That is not possible you are grown not a... What about the others?" Dawn asked.

"Sapataz five summers, Mokfrûm 6 moons, Turkûrz a moon."

"You are fifteen years old?" Dawn was horrified, what kind of magic made them grow so quickly. "And Mokfrûm is only half a year old? What evil is this?"

"Years?" he asked, seemingly not understanding the term.

"I am 20 years old."

"20 moons?"

"No years," Dawn thought it over there was about 12 full moons in a year, "I have seen many moons, there are about 12 moons in a year and I am 20 years old. 20 summers."

Grishthauk looked at her then he growled and began walking towards the settlement. Dawn hurried after him and when they got to Beranhild's home Grishthauk put the buckets down and Dawn took two into the healer's home. When she got out Sapataz was standing next to Grishthauk and they discussed furiously in the growl and harshly sounding language.

"Thank you, child," Beranhild said gently and as Dawn picked up a bucket and turned to go home with the water, Aldor rode into town on a great wagon with his wife.

"Aldor and Elfwyn, what are you two doing here?"

"These are unsafe times and we wished to be close if something should happen," Elfwyn said.

"What are you doing here still orc?" Aldor asked.

"You can see that you blind mole, they are helping me fix my roof and I will be damned if I allow you to send the only good workers we have away," Beranhild said.

"Hello my sweet, how are you?" Elfwyn asked Beranhild.

"Just fine you can take Deowine's house, my dear," Beranhild answered.

"Sometimes I swear it's just like having two wives," Aldor complained.

"Don't be foolish dear you couldn't handle us both." His wife patted his knee.

They continued on towards their new home and Dawn sighed and made a move to pick up the other bucket and walk home when Grishthauk picked it up and followed her.

He followed her all the way into the kitchen, "Just put the bucket down I will use it later."

He placed the bucket down and she smiled,"Do you want lunch?"

He scowled, "What lunch?"

She giggled, "Lunch is food you eat when the sun is highest in the sky."

He nodded "Lunch is good."

Dawn smiled at her unusual houseguest, "I need to prepare lunch for my mother, and then we can have our lunch." Dawn picked up a bowl and filled it with the stew that had been cooking since morning. "I'll be back in just a bit."

She walked into her mother's room and smiled, at least she had eaten her breakfast. "Here is your lunch mom." Dawn collected the dirty plate and smiled as her mom ate the stew gently, "just eat that and then try to sleep a bit, Beranhild said you needed rest."

As she walked out of her mother's room she couldn't see her guest anywhere, she noticed that the door to her brothers' room was open and she hurried towards it.

Inside the room, she saw that Grishthauk had picked up a knife and not any knife but her brother favorite hunting knife. "This mate's knife?"

Dawn took the knife gently and placed it in its sheet, "No it was my brother Ash's knife."

"What is brother?"

She looked up to see if he was kidding her but he looked earnestly confused, "My mother bore my two brothers and then me. A brother is the male child of your father or mother and a sister is the female child of your father or your mother."

Grishthauk nodded seriously; together they walked back to the big room where she found bowls and spoons. She poured some stew into both bowls and a small bun for each, together they ate and Dawn was strangely flattered as he asked for seconds.

Perhaps orcs were simply misunderstood.


End file.
